The 8.9 Richter scale earthquake on March 11, 2011 followed by a Tsunami with three meter high waves knocked out the cooling systems in the Fukushima Nuclear reactors. More than a week later, the crisis continues and radioactive particles have spread as far as Iceland, while water in Tokyo has been declared unfit for consumption by infants. Although the design of these reactors is from the 1950s, and nuclear technology has since become much more sophisticated, issues of safety and extraordinarily long-lasting environmental implications have again came to the fore, just as countries like India are attempting to expand their nuclear power generation capacity.
The speakers helped Gateway House members understand the economic, political and social issues confronting Japan as it recovers from its recent triple-crisis. They discussed the implications of the recent events in Japan on India and its nuclear energy program, the Japanese response to the crisis, and the prospects for stronger Indo-Japanese relations in the near future. What role can Indian business play in Japanese reconstruction? Will India’s nuclear energy programme change after events in Japan? What kind of post-disaster reconstruction is already underway in Japan?